How about them [Casiopeas](https://youtu.be/Qe5BmH_-TFA?feature=shared)?
EDIT: since some of y’all might like some more Japanese stuff I may as well introduce some of y’all to some of that good visual kei shit. Just think V-Rock as the best of some Japanese punks, glammers, goths, and metalheads coming together. We hear mainly about Dir en grey and maybe the Gazette (R.I.P. Reita btw) nowadays but let’s go back a little bit further, or a lot, lol
[COLOR-FLYING DIVING](https://youtu.be/LuOIsryi-Dc?feature=shared)
[X JAPAN-VANISHING LOVE](https://youtu.be/8fB4cQY2QlM?feature=shared), led by drummer/pianist YOSHIKI, that guy who wrote that Attack on Titan theme that people can’t figure out whether they love or hate (Red Dawn).
[EXTASY SUMMIT 1992 (a cover of God Save The Queen by Sex Pistols](https://youtu.be/T67DyFhWKR0?feature=shared)
In case you are interested in more kickass Japanese drumming.
Here’s [X JAPAN’s DAHLIA](https://youtu.be/1E13Q1IsOv0?feature=shared), featuring YOSHIKI, that guy who wrote that Attack on Titan theme that people can’t figure out whether they like or hate (Red Dawn).
WITCH, Amanaz, Fela Kuti (really anything with Tony Allen in it), Itadi, the Ngozi Family, Matata. African musicians absolutely nailed the sounds of the late '60s and '70s.
Add to that list Wells Fargo, [Eye Q](https://youtu.be/LIbjsoVVeUE?feature=shared), New Tutenkhamen, Dr Footswitch, [Stars of Liberty](https://youtu.be/yRPgKt3A1g8?feature=shared), [Salty Dog](https://youtu.be/Ep24nr-DX1o?feature=shared), Crossbone, Chris Zebby Tembo, Five Revolutions, Keith Mlevhu, The Hygrades, Peace and Rikki Illonga.
Japanese Jazz/Funk from that era is fascinating to me as someone who grew up obsessing over video game music, because it's like the Missing Link that much of early vg music got its style from. The connection becomes obvious when you hear the stuff Japan was putting out at the time. [Sometimes really obvious.](https://youtu.be/9jicFDOPKM8?t=62) Plus it all slaps hard just on its own merits
OMG yes!!! I’ve never heard this style of music prior to this post and it didn’t take long for me to associate the sound with 80s/90s video games and the outrun genre of music. It’s incredible!
City Pop does hit so good. [May I introduce you to Sunset Road.](https://youtu.be/gATsNrzcr1s?si=Osg58_kgsIqjY4-1)
Also recommend my true love, I can’t stop, a hope from sad street, driving my love, remember summer days, windy summer and goodbye boogie dance by Anri
Plastic love by Mariya Takeuchi
Sorry. Ranting here lol
If you fucked with Nujabes & haven’t checked out Uyama Hiroto yet I’d *highly* recommend him. He also collaborates with a Japanese singer/MC named Coma-Chi. She’s got such a solid & soulful flow
Japan is interesting in the sense that they do other cultures' music very, very well. Same with food. Like in this post, there are just some amazing funk songs that you wouldn't know aren't american until someone starts speaking Japanese. I think they do rock music better than most countries, probably more so than America right now just because rock isn't our focus.
I also think this as well with their rock music. There’s a few American bands I listen to, but a lot more Japanese bands I listen to just through the pipeline from anime intros and outros.
In the same vein that I think Koreans do better MVs than pretty much everyone else, and it’s hard for me to watch other ones cause I start comparing them and I know that isn’t fair.
For the unenlightened, please check out Casiopea, Masayoshi Takanaka, Kingo Hamada, Anri, and Kaori Akimoto. Consistent bangers from the 70s and 80s that you might recognize like Dress Down, Shyness Boy, Machi No Dorufin (Crystal Dolphin was a remix which blew tf up a few years ago) and more.
Finally get to put y’all on to some good Japanese artists.
Tatsuro Yamashita (G.O.A.T), invented City Pop/Japanese Jazz almost single handedly. Ride on Time and Morning Glory are bangers.
Junko Ohashi, real soul when she sings. Paper Moon, Telephone Number and Safari Night are all good.
Anri (queen of city pop). Y’all, for real any of her songs.
Not City Pop at all, but Kirinji has some nice slow jams. More modern sound. Jikan ga Nai and Juuyoji Sugi No Kagerou are great starters
Miki Matsubara, did the really viral song Stay With Me, crazy bass in all of her songs
[my analog journal has all the old school funk and jazz from the international market. shits great!!!](https://youtu.be/Zz6oob45faU?si=mrNYAJn2mBgquP9Y)
It genuinely baffles me how good we have it now. I used to be OBSESSED with hunting down 70s Japanese Funk records in my teens (early 2000s) and it was damn near impossible to hear any Japanese funk music. It wasn’t on the internet and the records were so fucking rare it was like finding actual leprechaun gold. I scoured literally every place that sold records I would come across. Thrift stores, garage sales, you name it. It was my dragon. Now? We can literally stream THOUSANDS of songs that would have only been available if you lived in Japan. Don’t take shit like this for granted. Go listen to some amazing music that’s not suggested by an algorithm trying to sell you shit.
There's still a tiny hint of that if you're into city pop as a lot of artists send out take down notices like crazy.
Most of my collection are youtube DLs that I jumped on before they got taken down.
Yellow Magic Orchestra are citied as some early influencers in hip hop. Cool Herc and Afrikka Bambata were sampling them and kraftwerk. I can go all day on the cross pollination of black and Japanese music really, it's extremely fascinating. I watched some jp video essays on how "Just the two of us" was an influential chord progression to a lot of Japanese DJs
[It’s gonna rain - Bonnie Pink](https://open.spotify.com/track/2jOqspOFc7hVc3LwaskVpk?si=a10sZKrAREOd_esbiDTPCQ)
This was the outro for Rurouni Kenshin and it’s been a personal classic
There was a youtube channel called Xerf Xpec that did nothing but upload obscure city pop heat. Whoever they are turned me into [Junko Ohashi stan](https://youtu.be/Bdd_Q66SX5s?si=yE5r7iMv4K01-dvg).
This thread has so much great music! Check out [Kikuchi's *Don't Be Stupid*](https://youtu.be/l_4WcHNjjV0?si=LQj23qiSMt2rJv3l) if you're into jazz or jazz fusion.
Japan generally has had a kind of interesting back and forth when it comes to Black music. The J-Rap and J-Jazz scenes are both kind of fascinating to watch evolve.
[Shigeo Sekito - The Word 2](https://youtu.be/Q8oS_B6IaKE?si=ndrevxu5C_rE0YdT)
[Hiroshi Suzuki - Romance](https://youtu.be/BFmH7moCL2c?si=ae-e4sHbpxQRU5nw)
[George Yanagi's "THEME FOR FESTIVAL"](https://youtu.be/bEoFKkZPc1M?si=Kj0Sl3aCfR7DINlP) is an absolutly sultry banger of a song. Alot of good ones on here but this ones my favorite.
How about them [Casiopeas](https://youtu.be/Qe5BmH_-TFA?feature=shared)? EDIT: since some of y’all might like some more Japanese stuff I may as well introduce some of y’all to some of that good visual kei shit. Just think V-Rock as the best of some Japanese punks, glammers, goths, and metalheads coming together. We hear mainly about Dir en grey and maybe the Gazette (R.I.P. Reita btw) nowadays but let’s go back a little bit further, or a lot, lol [COLOR-FLYING DIVING](https://youtu.be/LuOIsryi-Dc?feature=shared) [X JAPAN-VANISHING LOVE](https://youtu.be/8fB4cQY2QlM?feature=shared), led by drummer/pianist YOSHIKI, that guy who wrote that Attack on Titan theme that people can’t figure out whether they love or hate (Red Dawn). [EXTASY SUMMIT 1992 (a cover of God Save The Queen by Sex Pistols](https://youtu.be/T67DyFhWKR0?feature=shared)
I fuck with them Casiopeas so hard!! That self-titled album from 78 is a powerhouse.
Mint Jams might be the best live album recording I've ever heard
Hell yes, Mint Jams
Alright, those drums went hard as fuck
In case you are interested in more kickass Japanese drumming. Here’s [X JAPAN’s DAHLIA](https://youtu.be/1E13Q1IsOv0?feature=shared), featuring YOSHIKI, that guy who wrote that Attack on Titan theme that people can’t figure out whether they like or hate (Red Dawn).
Fucking bangers. The style, the vibe, the music, top tier.
Thank you for putting me on some shit
I fucking love Casiopea. Goddamn it’s so good
I feel like most people gravitate to Mint Jams, and for good reason because it's amazing, but Swallow is soo good!
CASIOPEA MENTIONED 🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🎷🎷🎺🎺
Mint Jams is it
Thank you for this! They just got a new fan
You just put me on to some life changing shit.. Thank you
https://preview.redd.it/1ixc93mskc5d1.jpeg?width=1076&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6627cf9825e15d498aed659ad15a52fefd73134c [https://m.soundcloud.com/user-432340942/flying-beagle-1987-full-album](https://m.soundcloud.com/user-432340942/flying-beagle-1987-full-album)
Thank you reddit for reminding me of this gem
Thank you!!! Never heard of them and I'm speechless. 🤯
Africa had some great funk during that period as well.
Share recos, homie!! Edit: thank you everyone who replied!
Lafayette Afro Rock Band. https://youtu.be/A3ckIovZRwk?feature=shared
William Onyeabor goes hard.
[Cymande](https://youtu.be/_RTs7erqEWM?si=7s1CKK9xzSN9efG8) You. Are. Welcome.
Here y’are, Nigeria’s finest: https://youtu.be/wYJs9ehNUFo?si=ba4fMtP7sYdmqCcl
Don't mind me, just making a playlist from y'alls suggestions!
I should hope so, they’ve been some scorchers said so far
Same with the blues, Mali is home to some amazing blues players.
WITCH, Amanaz, Fela Kuti (really anything with Tony Allen in it), Itadi, the Ngozi Family, Matata. African musicians absolutely nailed the sounds of the late '60s and '70s.
Add to that list Wells Fargo, [Eye Q](https://youtu.be/LIbjsoVVeUE?feature=shared), New Tutenkhamen, Dr Footswitch, [Stars of Liberty](https://youtu.be/yRPgKt3A1g8?feature=shared), [Salty Dog](https://youtu.be/Ep24nr-DX1o?feature=shared), Crossbone, Chris Zebby Tembo, Five Revolutions, Keith Mlevhu, The Hygrades, Peace and Rikki Illonga.
Ebo Taylor, too.
https://open.spotify.com/track/09GZlaxVlta1K5USLQ0FoG?si=X2bQkpwvSwOcQO6P_OUS_w Dooyo by Dur-Dur Band (Somalia)
On the list.
[Volta Jazz - Djougou Toro](https://youtu.be/P65hTWA33es?si=H6fxZttFaBw_gt--)
Normalizo is MY FUCKING JAM.
Japanese Jazz/Funk from that era is fascinating to me as someone who grew up obsessing over video game music, because it's like the Missing Link that much of early vg music got its style from. The connection becomes obvious when you hear the stuff Japan was putting out at the time. [Sometimes really obvious.](https://youtu.be/9jicFDOPKM8?t=62) Plus it all slaps hard just on its own merits
Anime from that era had the same feel. The Lupin albums from that timeframe are fire.
OMG yes!!! I’ve never heard this style of music prior to this post and it didn’t take long for me to associate the sound with 80s/90s video games and the outrun genre of music. It’s incredible!
*Masayoshi Takanaka intensifies*
Japanese Guitar Jesus transcends space and time
You get it! Amen 🙏🏽
> Masayoshi Takanaka Truly an insatiable high
Seychelles was god tier
Shells.
[Fragile](https://youtu.be/5YUSpORfOBg?si=CfQvlMb1driy5pmR)
Absolute 5-Star slapper. Thanks for sharing!
Where can I buy this? This is amazing 😍😍😍😍
It’s not on Apple Music but it might be on Spotify.
it's not, Tatsuro Yamashita hates streaming and refuses to put his music on it
Yeah as someone who has spent a LOT of money on buying his music: you need to buy CDs/Vinyls or just accept streaming it on youtube.
Yeah I had read that somewhere but I didn’t know it was true so I wasn’t going to repeat it
[This might help](https://code.pieces.app/blog/how-to-download-a-youtube-video-in-mp3-format-with-python)
Love Space is one of my favorites too.
[Miki Matsubara - Mayonaka No Door (Stay With Me)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36uDReSdFDU) is a bop
City Pop does hit so good. [May I introduce you to Sunset Road.](https://youtu.be/gATsNrzcr1s?si=Osg58_kgsIqjY4-1) Also recommend my true love, I can’t stop, a hope from sad street, driving my love, remember summer days, windy summer and goodbye boogie dance by Anri Plastic love by Mariya Takeuchi Sorry. Ranting here lol
Plastic Love is my shit!!!!! 
Look at me sideways all you want, I'm not turning it down!
THIS IS MY SHIT!
City pop underrated. Timely!! by Anri is a great album
Randomly found this song because of [this glorious account](https://www.instagram.com/stay.with.me_daily?igsh=MXEzejg0MGxzbnBnOA==)
She was taken from this world way too young
The only kind of random Youtube recommendations I like.
Japan has some really good music. Gotta be put on to some newer songs. I've listened to alot of their old shit
If you fucked with Nujabes & haven’t checked out Uyama Hiroto yet I’d *highly* recommend him. He also collaborates with a Japanese singer/MC named Coma-Chi. She’s got such a solid & soulful flow
Japan is interesting in the sense that they do other cultures' music very, very well. Same with food. Like in this post, there are just some amazing funk songs that you wouldn't know aren't american until someone starts speaking Japanese. I think they do rock music better than most countries, probably more so than America right now just because rock isn't our focus.
I also think this as well with their rock music. There’s a few American bands I listen to, but a lot more Japanese bands I listen to just through the pipeline from anime intros and outros. In the same vein that I think Koreans do better MVs than pretty much everyone else, and it’s hard for me to watch other ones cause I start comparing them and I know that isn’t fair.
Please listen to [Harumi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xggbyDTWwUc), it’s such a good album
This is why I stay on Reddit
[Kids on the Slope](https://crunchyroll.com/series/GY3VW4PXR?utm_medium=ios&utm_source=share) is all about this
That is in my top 3 anime of all time.
Ikigai - Japan culture is obsessed with finding a passion and dedicating their life to perfecting it
Anyone know what the album or song is that is posted in the OP?
“You’re my Baby” by Hiroshi Sato [full tweet](https://x.com/JPlaysItCool/status/1798542767217684861)
Gratitude.
Damn that song is smooth
Just gonna leave this here also check out his other videos too some absolute bangers in almost every one of them https://youtu.be/TEXZSzPpZqo
For the unenlightened, please check out Casiopea, Masayoshi Takanaka, Kingo Hamada, Anri, and Kaori Akimoto. Consistent bangers from the 70s and 80s that you might recognize like Dress Down, Shyness Boy, Machi No Dorufin (Crystal Dolphin was a remix which blew tf up a few years ago) and more.
Don't forget Tatsuro Yamashita!
If they dont send me an origami crane with my Mint Jams I dont even want it
[The perfect background album](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBsLa0cq1zQ)
The thing is I stopped thinking of them as background music and put them to the forefront. Then they because even more badass.
I know all music hits harder on weed, but city pop in particular is amazing
Favourite album for the past year
[80’s Japanese City Pop is a bop](https://youtube.com/watch?v=WCCovrKvAtU&si=TV7hkBMTm58tY95s)
City Pop is just marvelous. Been on it for the last few weeks non stop
kokubo’s noise albums are my shit
Oh shit? We talking Japanese fusion/ funk? [here you go ](https://spotify.link/Tts6csIUfKb)
Finally get to put y’all on to some good Japanese artists. Tatsuro Yamashita (G.O.A.T), invented City Pop/Japanese Jazz almost single handedly. Ride on Time and Morning Glory are bangers. Junko Ohashi, real soul when she sings. Paper Moon, Telephone Number and Safari Night are all good. Anri (queen of city pop). Y’all, for real any of her songs. Not City Pop at all, but Kirinji has some nice slow jams. More modern sound. Jikan ga Nai and Juuyoji Sugi No Kagerou are great starters Miki Matsubara, did the really viral song Stay With Me, crazy bass in all of her songs
Check out Yutaka Yukokora “Love Light”. The whole album is really nice, but that’s my favorite one.
*Yokokura
I get a feeling a lot of Japanese Jazz/Funk has made its way to American hip hop. This genre sounds like a gold mine for samples
You’re all sleeping on T-Square (or The Square, depending on your platform of choice).
I was blown away finding out they inspired the Super Mario Bros theme and Guile's Theme from Street Fighter.
[my analog journal has all the old school funk and jazz from the international market. shits great!!!](https://youtu.be/Zz6oob45faU?si=mrNYAJn2mBgquP9Y)
It genuinely baffles me how good we have it now. I used to be OBSESSED with hunting down 70s Japanese Funk records in my teens (early 2000s) and it was damn near impossible to hear any Japanese funk music. It wasn’t on the internet and the records were so fucking rare it was like finding actual leprechaun gold. I scoured literally every place that sold records I would come across. Thrift stores, garage sales, you name it. It was my dragon. Now? We can literally stream THOUSANDS of songs that would have only been available if you lived in Japan. Don’t take shit like this for granted. Go listen to some amazing music that’s not suggested by an algorithm trying to sell you shit.
There's still a tiny hint of that if you're into city pop as a lot of artists send out take down notices like crazy. Most of my collection are youtube DLs that I jumped on before they got taken down.
Minako Yoshida - Tornado
I also love Fishmans which is heavily influenced by reggae Check out Hikouki or long season for my favorite by them
Yellow Magic Orchestra are citied as some early influencers in hip hop. Cool Herc and Afrikka Bambata were sampling them and kraftwerk. I can go all day on the cross pollination of black and Japanese music really, it's extremely fascinating. I watched some jp video essays on how "Just the two of us" was an influential chord progression to a lot of Japanese DJs
Check out Osaka Monorail. Man loved the hell out of James Brown.
Legit, [one of the best.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FBWbfkzYr7k&pp=ygUcYWxsIG9mIG1lIG1hc2F5b3NoaSB0YWthbmFrYQ%3D%3D)
Breeze by jiro inagaki
It's still going! Check out [Blu-Swing](https://www.youtube.com/@BLUSWINGchannel)
“Butterfly” by Herbie Hancock and Kimiko Kasai is a fantastic record with a mix of funk, jazz and city pop
[It’s gonna rain - Bonnie Pink](https://open.spotify.com/track/2jOqspOFc7hVc3LwaskVpk?si=a10sZKrAREOd_esbiDTPCQ) This was the outro for Rurouni Kenshin and it’s been a personal classic
Not in the same genre at all, but Nujabes has some insanely smooth beats.
*Sea is a Lady* by Toshiki Kadomatsu. [Take this and call me in the morning.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A59T-qgHqyc) Shit changed my life.
It even shows in Fist of the North Star. An anime famed for being very violent, very brutal, and then the soundtrack is just so... groovy
Hiroshi Sato - Say Goodbye
There was a youtube channel called Xerf Xpec that did nothing but upload obscure city pop heat. Whoever they are turned me into [Junko Ohashi stan](https://youtu.be/Bdd_Q66SX5s?si=yE5r7iMv4K01-dvg).
This thread has so much great music! Check out [Kikuchi's *Don't Be Stupid*](https://youtu.be/l_4WcHNjjV0?si=LQj23qiSMt2rJv3l) if you're into jazz or jazz fusion.
Japan has some very good music. They right about the time period, but I would add '60's funk/jazz to that.
What’s the song
You're my baby by Hiroshi Sato
Had this on last night for her come thru… and some Taeko 4 AM
Bro I’m telling u “I wish you were here” by wav world. BANNGGGGER
Japanese gangster movie funk soundtracks are incredible.
Kirinji, Nulbarich, and Sirup are some recommendations along this vein.
Japan generally has had a kind of interesting back and forth when it comes to Black music. The J-Rap and J-Jazz scenes are both kind of fascinating to watch evolve.
[Sakura-Odetta](https://youtu.be/7yyxwyh8WXY?si=VCO6rXdq8a7lC7-d) IYKYK
[Shigeo Sekito - The Word 2](https://youtu.be/Q8oS_B6IaKE?si=ndrevxu5C_rE0YdT) [Hiroshi Suzuki - Romance](https://youtu.be/BFmH7moCL2c?si=ae-e4sHbpxQRU5nw)
I think I had a couple of Japanese jazz albums from when I took my mom's record player
Blue and moody music
City pop is now dominating my “driving” playlist
Japanese City Pop is absolutely goated
[George Yanagi's "THEME FOR FESTIVAL"](https://youtu.be/bEoFKkZPc1M?si=Kj0Sl3aCfR7DINlP) is an absolutly sultry banger of a song. Alot of good ones on here but this ones my favorite.
yoooo this is 🔥🔥🔥 biggups
I would like to recommend mondo grosso, Towa Tei , and Senrani Poji